Large Spiders making a home in my wood shed

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Around here they sell hedge balls (Osage oranges) to keep the spiders away. People put them in their basements, that kind of thing. I have never tried it. I think that old tale is right up there with burning beer cans to fight creosote.
 
at least they aren't murder hornets!
 
The hedge apples work ok. The bad thing about them is it's easy to forget them if you put them in a crawlspace or other area that a person doesn't venture into regularly. When they rot they lose their effectiveness and actually draw in unwanted bugs.
 
Or these
[Hearth.com] Large Spiders making a home in my wood shed
 
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We don't kill spiders they eat too many other insects
like flys and mosquitoes
 
CRJ700 said:
I tried searching the forum for this since I would assume this is a common issue but no such luck. I have two wood storage areas on my property. The first is a wood shed that holds about 2 cords. I keep some semi seasoned wood in there that I use to restock my seasoned wood rack that I keep closer to my house during the winter. Every year I get these massive black spiders that just take over the entire wood pile. They cover the pile in this thick webbing. Even in the coldest temps mid winter they scatter all over the wood as I start to pull from this reserve pile. Do you have any tricks tips from keeping these pests out? I was thinking about spraying ortho home defense around the outside the wood shed but I don't want to spray the wood pile directly for obvious reasons. I know bugs are expected but this is a bit excessive lol.
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I got a nasty bite reaching into my wood bucket to reload. Very painful. First time in 40 years of burning. I think some sort of repellent on top row might help
 
We get wolf spiders at our cabin in northern MN. They are usually either in the woodshed or the old outhouse. The ladies complained a lot about the wolf spiders and garter snakes that would find their way into the outhouse, so I built them a mostly bug-proof version. They can still get in when you open the door!

Wolf spiders are quick. I've never been bitten by one yet, but at least they aren't poisonous. In fact, we really don't have anything poisonous in Minnesota except a few poisonous rattlesnakes in the far SW corner of the state.

[Hearth.com] Large Spiders making a home in my wood shed


[Hearth.com] Large Spiders making a home in my wood shed
 
Cool looking spiders!
 
I would wrap the woodshed with plastic and release a bug bomb in there. Cover the tops of the piles with plastic.
 
Just let them eat musquitos. Or they'll eat you
 
Did you know that you can shine for spiders? Their eyes glow back from the light. My son pointed that out, so I had to try. Point the light
in line with your own eyes, and sure enough the critters shown back. Two spots, 100ft away, in the grass, I'll be darned there it is.

[Hearth.com] Large Spiders making a home in my wood shed
 
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Those spiders are just extra BTUs!
 
I always spray insecticide around my wood stacks to keep the bugs at bay. Don't like spiders.
 
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Prof said:
Sorry, no solution to getting rid of them. Spiders, specifically wolf spiders are the reasons I always wear gloves when handling wood. I've never been bitten by one, but they just scare the crap out of me when they seem to appear from nowhere and look me in the eye. I try not to kill them though--just try to compose myself and pretend like I didn't just squeal like a little kid.
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time to get out the bug spray
 
Sawset said:
Did you know that you can shine for spiders? Their eyes glow back from the light. My son pointed that out, so I had to try. Point the light
in line with your own eyes, and sure enough the critters shown back. Two spots, 100ft away, in the grass, I'll be darned there it is.

[Hearth.com] Large Spiders making a home in my wood shed
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Yep, I live in the woods, walking the dog at night with a flashlight and see thousands of eyes staring back at me. I've shown a lot people this technique............if you ever wanna know how many spiders are in the yard at night, walk around casting a beam of light and you'll see just how many are out there.
 
Never been happier to live in New England holy smokes! I have to deal with mice and chipmunk nests and the occasional reasonably sized beetle or spider but none of that crazy stuff you guys have.
 
I get lots of stink bugs in my wood stacks. Hate those things. I need to be careful bringing wood in that I don't have any hitch hikers.
 
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So far so good, here in WI. We used to have lots of them in the house, but my wife got some ortho spray for the house and it has been better. We used to have them in the bathroom, bedroom, basement, and seemingly everywhere else. I would wake up with bites and the occasional very bad flavor in my mouth that was bitter, sour, rancid, and gut wrenching. Had to be a spider. They say you eat several a year.
I just know I would never eat one willingly.

My wife got the spray for the japanese beetles. The neighbor plants soy every other year and the beetles love soy. They swarm out of the fields by the millions when they harvest and move into the houses for winter. My wife has a phobia about those damn bugs, so she got the spray. It works. The side effect was no more spiders, which is ok with me since I now have my lathe set up in the basement and don't need creepies all over my work space.
 
Isaac Carlson said:
So far so good, here in WI. We used to have lots of them in the house, but my wife got some ortho spray for the house and it has been better. We used to have them in the bathroom, bedroom, basement, and seemingly everywhere else. I would wake up with bites and the occasional very bad flavor in my mouth that was bitter, sour, rancid, and gut wrenching. Had to be a spider. They say you eat several a year.
I just know I would never eat one willingly.

My wife got the spray for the japanese beetles. The neighbor plants soy every other year and the beetles love soy. They swarm out of the fields by the millions when they harvest and move into the houses for winter. My wife has a phobia about those damn bugs, so she got the spray. It works. The side effect was no more spiders, which is ok with me since I now have my lathe set up in the basement and don't need creepies all over my work space.
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There is no way I would be able to sleep knowing there are spiders in my bedroom especially if I had been bit or ate one. Yikes! I spray a bug barrier around my house foundation every month in the warmer months.

I thought japanese beetles overwintered in the soil not houses. Are you sure they are japanese beetles and not asian lady beetles? Are they coppery brown and green? or orangey red with black spots?

[Hearth.com] Large Spiders making a home in my wood shed [Hearth.com] Large Spiders making a home in my wood shed
 
That picture that sawset took of the spider is one neat picture but scary--the whole thread is scary. Maybe try some of that Repels-All animal repellent--its for animals but maybe they have some for insects as well.. It is suppose to be safe...I would check that out and see if there are any other products out there that would work...Feeling for you and yours..clancey
 
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